I am a Ph.D Research Student, 3D Artist and Developer, currently based at the University of Portsmouth in the sunny South of England. I have experience in a wide range of games technology, from hobbyist packages like RPG Maker, through to industry staples like Unreal Engine and Unity, as well as more specialised applications, such as stereoscopic virtual reality systems. When I'm not working on development or research, I also maintain a blog where I discuss a wide range of issues from across the field of games. Lastly, I teach in a part-time position at the University, ranging from programming, to 3D art, to game design, to academic skills, as well as supervising final year undergraduate projects. I've recently contributed a section to the publication Working in the Games Industry discussing the role of a higher education games lecturer for students considering their future career paths.

My research looks at the concept of player expectation in games, and what happens when a game does not match certain franchise or genre stereotypes that players may expect it to. Specifically, I am considering this concept within the frame of the horror genre, and how it may be possible to actively subvert or otherwise break player expectations in order to create a more affective psychological horror experience.

This research is being carried out in conjunction with the development of a commercial game, entitled Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. The game is being developed by us folks at thechineseroom and is being produced and published by Frictional Games. You can see the Halloween trailer for the game below!